Numerous exercise devices have been developed to promote a wide range of physical conditioning and enhance the ability of an individual to play a particular sport or perform a specific sports-type motion. With respect to the latter, it is well-known that proper form, coupled with appropriate balance and coordination, is crucial for sports such as golfing, tennis, bowling, pitching baseball/softball, and the like. Developing strength and conditioning, along with improved balance and coordination, is also extremely important when incorporated as part of a physical rehabilitation regimen where it is often crucial to develop muscle strength and range of motion so as to regain health and mobility.
Among the devices that have proven to be exceptionally effective in developing balance and coordination, along with strength and conditioning, include certain training apparatuses and methods of using such apparatuses as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,166B2 issued Sep. 14, 2004 to Broudy entitled BALANCE AND COORDINATION TEACHING METHOD, the teachings of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. The apparatus disclosed in such reference, as well as the methods of using such apparatus, are exceptionally effective in developing balance and coordination via the use of first and second rotating platform members mounted on a planar base, each platform member being operative to receive the foot of a user. Each foot of the user is operative to rotate independently about a separate axis and can be utilized to properly perform certain motions that are crucial to properly performing any of a variety of sports, and in particular golf, tennis, skiing, surfing, martial arts and baseball, among others. The commercial embodiment of the apparatus and the use of such apparatus are sold under the trademark 8BOARD®, and marketed and distributed by Grail Sports, Inc. of Carlsbad, Calif.
Despite the exceptionally effectiveness of such apparatus, and the methods of using such apparatus to facilitate development of balance and coordination, and physical conditioning, such apparatus and the use of such apparatus have certain limitations. Specifically, the apparatus and the methods of using such apparatus typically require that the apparatus remain in stationary position on level ground. While such placement is optimal for performing certain motions specific to several sports, such as serving a tennis ball or swinging a golf club, the use of such apparatus is limited by the fact that the rotating platforms are maintained in generally parallel relation to the ground or other flat surface and the rotational movement of each respective platform extends about a perpendicularly extending axis. There is thus no ability for the user to experience dynamic or non-level orientations as would be encountered if, for example, the rotating platform surfaces were positioned on an incline or a surface operative to rock back and forth. Such added dimensions would be operative to provide additional challenges to the user, particularly with respect to balance and coordination, and would further enhance the ability of such apparatus to be used in training for skiing, surfing, or skateboarding, or any of a variety of dynamic activities that involve slopes, inclined surfaces, jostling motions and the like.
There are likewise numerous shortcomings associated with the apparatus and training methods of U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,166B2 due to the inability of such devices to impart any type of therapeutic effect to a user of such devices. While rehabilitation is among the many uses associated with such apparatus, such apparatus was originally designed to be utilized while the user is wearing shoes or other foot coverings, and thus incapable of imparting a therapeutic modality to the feet of a user, such as heat or cold, or provide a texturized surface that can be applied to the feet in order to provide a massaging effect. Such enhanced functionality has not heretofore been available with respect to the current use of the subject apparatus having rotational platforms and hence have limited functionality.
Indeed, the functionality of the subject apparatus could otherwise have benefited greatly due to a variety of modalities currently in use, such as a calorie counter, heart rate monitor, timer, sound/lighting/motivational modalities, monitors for measuring distance, respiration, and the like, and the ability to interface with computers or other portable electronic devices, which are currently in use and readily available to those skilled in the art. Along those lines, it is contemplated that the rotational platforms could benefit greatly by being individually manipulated so as to increase resistance and/or limit the range of rotational motion, so as to impart a selective range of motion or strengthening, as may be desired. Currently, there is a substantial need in the art for such enhancements that could be incorporated with such exercise apparatus and methods of using the same.